The Meta CEO is developing $1000 Augmented Reality glasses that might shape the future
As Meta rolls out its $1000 smart glasses, CEO Mark Zuckerberg is warning that people who don’t embrace this kind of wearable AI tech might soon find themselves falling behind.
These upcoming augmented reality glasses are part of Meta’s big leap into the future of tech, and they’re expected to launch later this year. Zuckerberg thinks those without them—or something like them — might get left out of important experiences.
If you’re not already aware, Meta has been involved in the virtual reality game for quite a while. It all started when the company bought VR pioneer Oculus back in 2014 for around $2 billion.
But that Oculus deal was just the start of Meta’s deeper dive into the virtual and augmented reality world.
Even though the hype around the Metaverse has mostly faded and turned into disappointment, Zuckerberg hasn’t backed down. He’s still pushing forward—even as the project racks up $60 billion in losses—because he believes in the long game of tech innovation.
Now, his investment in AR could be the turning point where things start to pay off.
Augmented reality, or AR, lets users experience the real world with a digital twist, and Meta’s new ‘Hypernova’ glasses are designed to shake things up in the wearable tech space, according to Bloomberg.
The current prototype features a compact monocular screen in the lower-right part of the right lens. Through this setup, users can check apps, snap photos, and view content right through their glasses.
Right now, it’s just one lens that shows digital content. But reports suggest Meta is already working on a follow-up version with a binocular display, meaning both lenses will eventually offer a full visual experience.
With these glasses, you’ll be able to scroll through your photos, check messages, or use apps like WhatsApp and Messenger — all while walking down the street. And no one around you will even notice you’re multitasking.
But what happens if you don’t want to shell out $1000 for the tech, or you’re just not into the idea of AI wearables?
Well, in that case, you could be missing out on what many believe is the future of digital interaction.
Zuckerberg has made it clear that he sees glasses as the key to how people will interact with artificial intelligence moving forward.
According to Tech Crunch, during Meta’s Q2 earnings call, he shared his belief that folks who don’t use AI-enabled glasses could find themselves at a disadvantage compared to others who do.
During that call, he reportedly said: "I continue to think that glasses are basically going to be the ideal form factor for AI, because you can let an AI see what you see throughout the day, hear what you hear, and talk to you."
He also pointed out that adding a display screen to the glasses could unlock even more potential — ranging from a wide holographic view to something more compact for daily use.
"I think in the future, if you don't have glasses that have AI — or some way to interact with AI — I think you're … probably going to be at a pretty significant cognitive disadvantage compared to other people." Zuckerberg added.
Looking further ahead, Zuckerberg has his eyes set on evolving display technology and finding new ways to expand user experiences.
"This is … what we've been maxing out with Reality Labs over the last 5 to 10 years - basically doing the research on all these different things." he said during the earnings discussion.
Despite Reality Labs, Meta’s division in charge of this tech, reporting a $4.53 billion loss just in the second quarter, and nearly $70 billion in losses since 2020, the company isn’t slowing down.
Even with those heavy losses, Zuckerberg remains focused on the long-term goals and where this technology could take us next. He told investors on the call: "The other thing that's awesome about glasses is they are going to be the ideal way to blend the physical and digital worlds together."
"So the whole Metaverse vision, I think, is going to … end up being extremely important too, and AI is going to accelerate that."